ASEAN Property Markets Keep Booming due to Increased Demand Featured

As ASEAN economic integration at 2015, the whole region’s property markets is keep booming as increased demand, especially the commercial sector, according to a new report by Jones Lang LaSalle.

Released in conjunction with the 2013 World Economic Forum East Asia in Myanmar, the report underlines the real estate trends and opportunities in emerging markets. The consultancy noted that Southeast Asia’s economy continues to perform better than the rest of the world, with Singapore still the commercial and financial hub.

Chris Fossick, Managing Director for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: “This growth translates to robust domestic investment into commercial property, driving demand for office and logistics space. Increased consumer spending will boost demand for expanded retail formats, which in turn will support the developments of retail malls and the subsequent accompanying infrastructure in emerging markets.”

In the office markets, expansion plans by several businesses will push up demand as vacancy levels drop to historic lows by 2014. Meanwhile, the industrial and logistics markets are not expecting any slowdown in demand. The retail sector, on the other hand, is expected to remain strong with Jakarta maintain the lead regionally.

The ASEAN property markets are also showing more transparency which leads to regional growth encouraging investment. Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are the most transparent markets regionally for 2012.

As such, the region’s property industry is in “a unique position to influence and be involved in many key aspects of development” including housing, infrastructure, industry and trade among others, Fossick added.

“This is both an opportunity and a challenge for our industry and we need to work closely with both private and public enterprise to ensure real estate adds full value.”